Social Disorganization Theory In The 1930's

approach to studying crime called social disorganization theory became popular in the 1930’s. Prior to the development of this approach explanations of crime focused on biological factors. Robert Park and Ernest Burgess of the University of Chicago began this movement. In the late 1800s early 1900s, Chicago, and many other cities were going through massive social changes. Burgess theorized that cities naturally grew outward at a rapid rate from their inner core like the way plants grow and develop.

After decades of watching the city grow and develop They could refine their theory of “Concentric Zones.” The model consisted of 5 concentric circles: Central Business District, Zone of Transition, Working Class Zone, Residential Zone and Commuter

They site poverty and collective efficacy as the two most important components of social disorganization. Robert Sampson, Stephen Raudenbush and Felton Earls defined collective efficacy “as social cohesion among neighbors combined with their willingness to intervene on behalf of the common good.” In neighborhoods where collective efficacy exists, neighbors agree on what is acceptable behavior and reinforce it in each other. Neighborhoods in the early 1900s faced poverty, residential mobility, and population heterogeneity; three factors that contributed to their disorganization. Social cohesion or how residents think and feel about their neighborhood is the foundation of collective efficacy. Because of the many different types of immigrant groups, who spoke several different languages and varying views on what acceptable behavior was social cohesiveness was rarely formed. Bigger problems like poverty and residential turnover must be addressed to organize neighborhoods and create communities with strong control of crime, collective efficacy, and citizens who are engaged and willing to help one another (Feldmeyer, Pt.